Invisible
by fireeyes13
Summary: All Bella saw was the tame world of the "Vegetarians." What would happen to vampire who hated killing, but didn't know there was another way? What if she was in love with a human? A vampire FF made up of all original characters.
1. Prologue

My dearest sister:

**Author's note: This story is mostly original characters. I wrote it as a school project. It takes place in the Twilight world, and there are cameos of Twilight characters later in the story. I wasn't sure at first if it would even qualify as FF and if I should post it at all. My friends urged me that it should be posted. I decided to try it. Please review and give me constructive criticism, as I have no beta. Thanks to Jane and Kt. Without their encouragement I never would have posted this. Here goes…**

My dearest sister:

You have always wondered what happened to me before I became a "vegetarian". I understand how frustrating it is for you, being someone without telepathic powers in a town full of people who have them. You must understand that while over one hundred and thirty years have passed, it is still hard to talk about what happened to me. It ruined my life. You are my family, if only through adoption, and you deserve to know.

Let me tell you the story of how I became what I am. Understand why I was alone for over one hundred years. The year was 1895. I was eighteen, and I had been forgotten by the world. The chokehold placed by society was a burden on every one of us forced under it, the rich as much as the poor. So many rules were in place to "protect" us. It was a joke. They were afraid of us. Their rules helped them to maintain control of the young. None of us knew that there were those who did not care of rules. None of us even thought past our own society.

There was one who wanted freedom. I met him at a ball…


	2. Rules

My dearest sister:

**Author's note: No vampires for a little bit, I'm sorry to say. Don't worry-it'll come. Please review. Message me if you are interested in being a Beta. Besides that, happy reading!**

I had always been invisible. I blended in with everyone else. Every time that I tried to get someone to see me as someone special, it seemed that they would look past me. Any man whose eye I tried to catch was instantly enthralled by the woman next to me. That's the way my life went. I had resigned myself to the fact. I was forgettable. No, I was forgotten.

Now please don't believe it was all bad. There were times that I was very thankful for my curse. It gave me a freedom I can't describe to anyone who had never felt the same. At the age of 18 in the Victorian times, I was lucky to have any freedoms at all.

I was red-haired, with a cut too short for fashion. I was slender, though my waist was also nowhere near as small as the fashion at the time demanded. I was ordinary. I wasn't ugly, and I wasn't beautiful. I was just there, an observer watching lives go by.

Tristan was the first person to actually see me. I still remember how he had smiled at me. It was during a ball, and I was sitting in a corner. In a way, I was hiding. I had begun to figure that it was no use in trying to make myself be seen, as no one would see me even if I tried. I remember that my aunt and uncle were there. I do not really remember them well. They were always on the periphery of my life. After my parents had died they had taken care of me, but they had difficulties telling that I was there, just like everyone else.

The first time I saw him, he was dancing with a lady who looked to be twice his age. She was obviously clumsy and untrained, but in spite of that he gracefully moved through the steps.

I knew it was useless, but I dreamed anyway.

That's when he met my eyes. I blinked. Had he really seen me? He smiled. I tentatively smiled back. When the dance was over, he began to walk toward me.

I thought that I was still dreaming. This was reality and someone had seen me! His smile widened, and I couldn't help smiling in return. My heart was beating a steady, quick rhythm against my chest that was counterpoint to the music.

And then he was there, beside my chair. He bowed and said, "My name is Tristan Middlefield, may I have the honour of your acquaintance?" The Middlefields were the ones hosting the ball. Somehow I had never noticed him, though I was sure I should have.

"Rosalinde Mayshaw. How do you do?" I replied.

He reached out a hand and I placed mine in his, allowing him to pull me to my feet.

"Well, Miss Mayshaw, I'd be much better if you'd favour me with a dance."

My brain scrambled for a fitting answer. "I'd be honoured." Was the best that I could do.

He pulled me to my feet and gently pulled to the centre of the floor. My heart sped faster and faster as I waited for the music to begin.

He whirled me across the floor. He was a very graceful dancer, and I was left breathless. As I whirled about the floor I felt a very different kind of freedom from that which I had previously enjoyed.

It was over too soon. When the dance was done Tristan took my gloved hand and raised it to his lips.

I returned to my silent chair in the corner, but this time with a large smile on my face and daydreams in my head. After I sat down I found that I could not keep still. That was when I decided that that was the perfect time to get some lemonade.

As I was pouring it out into a cup a voice spoke behind me, "Thirsty?"

I nearly sloshed lemonade over my dress. Tristan stifled a laugh. "Sorry," He choked out, "But I wanted to show you something."

I tried to keep a straight face, but his barely concealed mirth made it very difficult. It was inevitable. I smiled. "What do you want to show me?"

Tristan held up a finger "That is a surprise."

I scowled.

He seized my arm and led me to a staircase. "Just trust me."

I had two choices. I could play it safe. I could protect my virtue. I could go back to the ball. I could go back to my corner and hide, invisibly, for the rest of my life. I would be forgotten and alone forevermore. As I thought this I looked into his beautiful eyes. The other choice was to go with him. I could take a chance. I could have one story, one chance taken, one hope followed.

Was there really a choice at all? I followed.

"I've been watching you." Thomas admitted.

"Really?" I asked, "Why?"

He smiled, "You are passed by, you move about unnoticed. Such people change the world simply because no one expects them to."

I had never even thought that I could change anything.

"Well," He continued, "I noticed you hiding in libraries."

I smiled. "I've found that books are usually better company than humans."

"I've come to the same conclusion myself." He opened the door to the biggest library I had ever seen. There were books everywhere.

"It's beautiful."

"Come with me." He said

I allowed him to pull me into a back corner. I laughed, feeling suddenly giddy as I spun Tristan around in a circle.

He smiled, laughing, "I only wish that they could see us now."

"Who?"

"Those people down there, dancing, masking themselves, following every one of society's rules that are thrown at them, never stopping to ask if it is right to do what they do."

"I feel that way, too. Society ignored me. Why should I follow its stupid code?"

"They restrain us from living, from breathing, and from loving." at the last his flashed down to mine and then away. His eyes met mine again with a strange intensity. "Meet me," he said, "Tomorrow."

I was nodding before I even thought about it.

I remember questioning myself. What was I thinking? I could have lost everything. But deep inside I knew that I had already made my choice. I had chosen when I followed him there without a chaperone.

I started looking at all the books. They were all so beautiful. One volume in particular caught my eye. It was bound in lavender leather with beautiful designs stamped in silver ink across its cover. It was a book of faerie tales.

"What are you thinking of?" Tristan asked.

"These books are beautiful." I was actually thinking of faerie tales. Happy endings did not exist. I just wished that they did.

"Come on." Said Tristan, "They are going to be wondering where you are."

"No they won't." I said with a hard short laugh.

"The more their folly." Tristan muttered, almost too low for me to hear.

I looked at him. There was a strange intensity in his eyes. I looked back down, ignoring the tightening in my belly.

When we got back to the ballroom Tristan held out his hand. "May I have this dance?"

"I should not. You will become spoiled."

He bowed. "Please." He begged.

In the moment he was the most beautiful thing in the world. I placed my hand in his. "I would dance with you until the end of time." I murmured as we started to dance

Tristan bent down to whisper in my ear, "That is the way it should be."

Delighted shivers ran down my spine.


	3. Faerie Haven

Author's note: This one was a little bit harder to write, and you might be able to tell

**Author's note: This one was a little bit harder to write, and you might be able to tell. It's shorter too. Actually, most of the chapters are shorter than the first. I couldn't bear to split that one up. Thank you for all the reviews, and please keep it up. I appreciate everything that you guys write. Happy reading!**

March 18, 1985

"I can not believe I am doing this." I muttered as I snuck out the morning after the ball. Honestly, it did not take much effort. Everyone else was soundly asleep, a product of the late night and alcohol consumption. They probably would not note my absence when they woke. They would just forget, like always, that I even existed.

This did not really bother me anymore. I was in love. I remember blinking as the idea occurred to me. I had only known Tristan for one night. Could I truly believe that I loved him?

I had realized that I did not even know what love was. Was it that feeling? Was it that dizzy ache that occurred whenever I thought of him? Was it the feeling that everything would be alright, just because he smiled?

"_Why is he doing this?_"I wondered. "_Is it just pity? Or is it…something else?_"

I saw him waiting in the park. He smiled that glorious smile. All of my worries faded away in that instant. All that I felt was a happiness that I was near him. I noticed that he was holding a package under his arm. "Come with me." Was all that he said.

Was love the reason that I would follow him wherever he asked?

He led me to a wooded area. There was a round clearing where no trees stood, though branches still covered the area and left it in relative darkness save for where the light filtered through the leaves above, giving everything a strange glow, and where splotches of light appeared on the ground where there were breaks in the natural umbrella.

"This reminds me of a faerie haven!" I exclaimed.

"I like that." In a more formal tone he said, "I dub this area ' The Haven"

I giggled.

"I brought you something." Tristan said.

"You did not have to do that!" I protested. I stopped before I told him that what he had already given me, friendship, was more than enough. That would have just embarrassed us both.

"I wanted to." He smiled.

I did not know what to say to that. He handed me a wrapped parcel, which I quickly unwrapped to find the book I had admired the night before. "Oh, Tristan." I murmured.

He lifted my chin with one finger. We stared into each other's eyes for an immeasurable amount of time. His brown eyes seemed to burn into mine, filling me with a strange flame that cruelly burned me at the same time that it warmed me gently. I elt so vulnerable in that instant, and yet so safe.

Was love knowing that you would die for someone? Whether I believed it or not at the time, I was on my way to falling in love, impossible as it may seem. It didn't matter how long we had known each other. He had stolen my heart right out of my grasp.

As the knowledge washed over me, I wanted to run. I wanted to run away. To go back to the way things were. But, as anyone who has the reins of their life wrested out of their grasp in a similar manner may tell you, I would have ended up running straight back to him.


	4. Rain and Mud

We had talked, laughed, and joked

We had talked, laughed, and joked. We met in our Haven every single day.

I was been happy until about four weeks after the first time we met there. That was around the time that I quit being able to sleep. Every time that I closed my eyes I would see his face. I would wish for something that I was not allowed to want. Even when I finally fell asleep it would be troubled. I would wake from dreams of endless longing. It was enough to drive anyone insane. On the fifth day of restlessness I had just grabbed my pillow and gone to the Haven. No one even noticed the strange girl carrying a pillow through the streets while in her nightclothes. That night I slept in our Haven. It was the first sleep I had gotten in a long time.

That morning as I went home to gather my clothes, I knew what I had to do. I was shaking so hard that I had difficulty with the strings on my corset. I didn't run to the Haven as I normally did.

Of course I had to tell him, if only for the sake of my own sanity. That was what the dreams all led to. Maybe then I could be happy. At least, that was what I hoped. What if he was angry? What if he never wanted to see me again? I would understand. Such a creature of perfection did not belong with…me.

Finally I was at our Haven. I looked down and realized that I was wringing my hands. I grabbed handfuls of my skirt instead.

He was waiting for me as usual, holding a wrapped package, same as the first day. It was a game of his to bring me a new book every day. I figured that he did it only because I had told him not to.

I took a deep breath. My heart was speeding up. I mused internally at how hard it was to expose one's heart to the man it rightfully belonged to.

I moved into our Haven and sat down on the soft grass.

"What's wrong?" Tristan asked. I wished that he was not always so perceptive.

I closed my eyes. "Tristan," I said. "I-" I stopped.

I opened my mouth and started again. "You-" I stopped again.

I realized that I was never going to get it out this way. Tristan was looking at me rather quizzically. "I, I can't sleep. I cannot stop thinking- about you." I sighed. A tear pushed its way down my cheek. "I love you." I should have said that differently. I should have worked my way to it. What was wrong with me?

I could not look at his face. What if he was wearing a look of disgust?

"Rosalinde," He whispered. That said it all.

"No." I thought. "Oh no, NO!" I wasn't even capable of coherent thought. That word just kept running through my mind. I could not let him finish his sentence, so I got up and ran further into the woods. Tears poured down my face unheeded. Branches whipped across my face, leaving scratches and taking pieces of my dress.

"Rosalinde, Rosalinde, please!" Tristan was chasing me.

I did not want to stop, but there was a piece of me that yearned to have him next to me again, even if it was for one heartbreaking second.. I slowed down incrementally. That was enough. He caught me easily.

"Rosalinde," He said while holding my arms to keep me from running again. At least, that was what I had thought. "Rosalinde, I love you too. I was going to tell you today." The corner of his mouth twitched up in a smile.

"How?" I had felt sure that he would be angry. The idea of him loving me…was impossible.

"Rosalinde, can you not see that you are beautiful and intelligent? Can you not see?" he sighed. "I never had a chance. When I first saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I started to watch you. I began falling for you before you even knew who I was.

"At that ball, that beautiful, wonderful ball, I wasn't enjoying myself at all. I was planning to excuse myself as soon as possible, even if I had to contract a false illness. I had several good excuses planned." He smiled at some errant thought then turned back to me. His eyes held some intent inner fire. "But then I saw you in the corner. You were there, but you were separate from everything going on around you, like a creature from another world. I took a chance, and it was the best decision I have ever made."

I felt lightheaded. Did he really mean it? I looked into his eyes and knew the truth. I threw my arms around his neck. He put his arms around me and spun me in circles.

I laughed. I had never felt this giddy. "I never want to leave your arms."

Tristan smiled and kissed the top of my head.

Almost ridiculously, the sky chose that moment to begin weeping upon us.

I loved the feel of the rain upon me. I decided that the sky must be awed to tears by our romantic moment.

"Come with me!" I said, and raced Tristan back to our Haven. My already torn dress was quickly soaked through and completely ruined.

Tristan beat me. He was standing there grinning triumphantly, so I pushed him into the mud.

"Can I have a hand?" He asked. When I offered mine he pulled me down into the mud next to him.

"I cannot believe that I fell for that!" I squealed. In retaliation I hit him in the back of the head with a handful of mud.

"I surrender! I surrender!" Tristan cried.

I smiled. It felt like nothing could go wrong if he was by my side.


	5. Shakespeare

Author's note: What can I say

**Author's note: What can I say? I just looked at my stats and realized that I had had 85 views to this story. I never expected to have even 30. Thank you to everyone reading! Also, many many thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I love reading everything you guys have to say. I must apologize a little for this chapter. It is complete fluff. Almost completely inconsequential to the story. I just couldn't help myself. If you haven't read Much Ado About Nothing, I recommend that you go out and read it. It is my favorite Shakespeare. The Kenneth Branagh movie is also really good. Oh, wow, this is a long Author's note. Good thing I have nothing left to say. Happy reading!**

Unrequited love is one of the worst feelings in the world. Having your soul chained to someone without getting anything in return is painful without measure.

Conversely, loving and being loved is the most beautiful experience in existence. I cannot even begin to describe it to someone who has not seen it themselves. I felt completely and utterly safe with Tristan, in a way that I had never felt with anyone else. It was a strange and entirely illogical feeling as out of anyone on this Earth then or now, he has had the most power to break me. The safety came in the feeling that he never would.

Outwardly, little about my relationship with Tristan had changed. We still talked, laughed, and broke society's rules just by meeting each other.

Rarely are things as they seem outwardly. Both of us could feel the difference in our hearts and in our heads. Our conversations had become more serious at times. He said things to me that made my heart ache in such a lovely way. We wanted to know as much about each other as possible. Even more was told in what was left unsaid. Every smile, every meeting of our eyes, every time we spoke without speaking we were saying "I love you."

Our first kiss took place on a beautifully sunny day. I had finally beat Tristan to the Haven and was drinking in the sun when he arrived carrying, as always, a book. I had ceased arguing with him. What was the point?

He handed me the package as he gave me a beatific smile. I drank it in like the sun.

I opened the package to find a play by William Shakespeare. "Not a tragedy, I hope." I teased him.

"No, a comedy. Much Ado about Nothing."

"Oh! We must act it out!"

It took a great deal of persuasion, but I finally received what I wanted. I played all the female parts, and Tristan all the male. It was a little confusing at times, but that seemed to add to our merriment.

We were truly enjoying ourselves, laughing at all the hurled insults and hidden jokes in Shakespeare's works. We had reached the part just after Claudio becomes engaged to Hero.

"Speak Cousin, 'tis your cue. Or if you will not speak, stop his mouth with a kiss so he may not speak either." I spoke, acting out Beatrice.

I gently leaned up and kissed Tristan. I must admit that I was truly surprised at myself. I usually am never this daring.

This kiss was beautiful and full of promise. It was the embodiment of young love. My gut told me the perfect moment to break away. I did so with a sigh..

I love Shakespeare." Tristan muttered.

I giggled and pulled him down for another kiss.


	6. Yours

Author's note: I felt so bad about the fluff I posted last chapter that I decided to post this a bit early

**Author's note: I felt so bad about the fluff I posted last chapter that I decided to post this a bit early. Vampires are coming! One more chapter and then they are here! That's all for now. Happy reading!**

All good things come to an end. It is the way of life.

Tristan and I were playing in the Haven again. We danced and laughed until we fell down, and then we kissed and talked about the future.

We could have had such a beautiful future.

We were talking like this when Tristan said, "I'm leaving."

My heart started to thud unevenly in my chest. "What? Please Tristan, I need you…" I couldn't speak anymore. The chest was constricting too much. I stopped and tried to focus on breathing.

Tristan saw my reaction and hurriedly explained. "No, no, Rosalinde, relax." He placed his hands on either side of my face. "Rosalinde, it is only for three months. I need to visit my relatives in New York. My family feels that I have been too antisocial. They think that time in the city would be just the cure I need." His voice had turned sour. "This is the last thing I want to do."

"Oh." I said. "It is so long." My breath had begun to relax, but only barely. At least he would come back. I repeated that over and over in my head.

"I know." He said. "Rosalinde, I just want you to know that I will always be thinking of you, and that I will be counting the moments until I come back." He pulled me up so that I was sitting on my legs. He knelt on the ground in front of me. "Rosalinde, you are the only thing I have ever wanted. Will you marry me?"

Tears stung my eyes. I saw the uncertain look in his. A joy was welling up inside of me. "I will be yours forever. Yours alone. Tristan, I love you and I will marry you."

He smiled, truly happy, and pulled a box out of his pocket which he opened to reveal a ring. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The diamond was beautifully cut and somehow threw off rainbows. It was held by delicate gold wrought in the shape of leafy vines. He slid it on to my ring finger. The weight felt so wonderfully right.

I still wear that ring today, and it reminds me of who I was.


	7. Without

**Author's note: One more chapter til vampires! Even better, I feel really bad about posting such a short chapter, so you'll probably have the next chapter before the end of the week. Happy reading!**

I beat my pillow again. I hated it when I couldn't get to sleep. It seemed like it had been happening a lot lately. Tristan had only been gone a week. It felt like it had been a lifetime. How was it that the days stretched so long.

I sighed and sat up. Most girls wouldn't see it as such a tribulation. Three months, that was all. Then he would be back and I would begin my life with him.

That was not how it felt to me. I felt trapped and restless. Without him, I was invisible. It felt like my heart had been painfully removed. It was silly and irrational to feel this way. Tristan was coming back. He loved me. I believed that, but I still couldn't shake the instinct that everything was changing, and that the happy time I had had with Tristan was coming to an end. I hit the pillow another time for good measure. It was entirely silly. I would survive the separation and then he would be back, smiling and as beautiful as ever.

All that I had to do was survive a couple of months. After that, no one would even recognize me, I would be so happy. My silly thoughts were pointless. My prince would soon return to wake me from this emptiness.

I comforted myself with this thought and finally laid myself down to sleep.


	8. Death

**Author's note: Yay vampires!! Please don't kill me for the cliffhanger. Lucian was one of the hardest characters to name. I've actually changed it three times because none of the other names fit. Thanks to Steff for finding me lists of Victorian names. You are awesome. Happy reading!**

I woke up feeling only mildly better. The air felt too warm and yet too cool, and I could not sit still. I grabbed a shawl off of the back of my chair.

Once in the open air I could feel my spirit slipping away. My heart was flying away to New York. I was left in a feeling of emptiness and despair. He was gone.

I twisted my engagement ring. The weight of it on my finger felt…right. He would return. He loved me. He would be back.

But what if he didn't? Doubt washed over me again.

I found my feet treading the familiar path to the Haven. I smiled as I entered and waited for the comfort of my true home to wash over me like it always did.

It was not right. This place felt empty, strangely silent without the sound of Tristan's laughter.

This place was not the same without him.

I sank dejectedly to the ground. There was no true comfort anymore. Haw was I going to survive three months of this? A tear slipped from my eye.

It was only then that I realized that my instincts were screaming at me to run immediately. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. I got the strangest feeling that I was being watched.

I stood and slowly turned to find myself face to face with the most beautiful man I had ever seen.

I was mesmerized by his burgundy eyes.

"Hello, I am Lucian." He said cordially.

I broke free of my trance. Through past experience I had found that my instincts never failed me. It was a good idea to listen to them. I turned and ran.

He appeared in front of me and before I could blink I was lying on the ground, my shoulder hurt.

"This place is so beautiful." Lucian continued as if nothing had happened. That frightened me more than everything else. He was completely unshaken by my fear and panic. "You see, I can see the memories attached to objects. It is a gift of mine. There are many memories here. I knew you would come."

"What do you want with me." I whispered. My throat was dry and constricted with fear. This man was not human, and there was nothing I could do. My mind was quickly compiling information. He was amazingly fast. I had never even seen him move. He was also incredibly strong. He knocked me over with barely a touch.

He smiled. "Just thirsty. Although…" He said, his manner still courteous, "I have this little game I like to play in selecting my victims, and you fit perfectly." He smiled as if I should feel proud of the privilege of being perfect for his "game." His smile was cold, heartless, and discomforting. It was cruel. "Young love is something wonderful, is it not?"

Adrenaline pushed through my veins. I jumped to my feet and tried to run again. I knew that I would not make it, but I had to try anyway.

Once again he seemed to just appear in front of me. I heard two loud cracks, and I fell to the ground with a cry of pain. He had managed to simultaneously break both of my legs.

That was when I finally understood that, no matter what happened, I was going to die. The only reason I was not dead already was the fact that he was playing with me.

"Just do it." I gasped.

"You are strange even for a human." He chuckled. Lucian knelt on the ground beside me and pulled me up as though he was going to kiss me. It felt wrong. This should be someone else. It should be someone who wouldn't hurt me. I could feel his breath on my neck. He gently pressed his lips to my skin.

My world erupted in fire. I instantly knew that I was dying. "Tristan." I whispered the last word on my dying lips. My life was consumed with the pain and an awful tugging motion coming from my neck. In only a few moments I would be dead.


	9. Turning

**Author's note: Sorry guys! I hate posting small chapters. It just makes me feel like I let you down. So I will be posting another promptly. Maybe even tonight. Who knows? This chapter was fun to write. It was great to imagine what one would have to go through to look perfect. Happy reading!**

The sickening pull stopped suddenly. The pain increased steadily and I started to scream. I forced my eyes open, realizing that they were tightly closed. I saw another, even more beautiful man circling Thomas, who was strangely hunched. I quickly closed my eyes again. I had a feeling that there was a dark undercurrent to the scene.

The pain seemed to ebb and I tried to stop screaming. I opened my eyes again. The world seemed to be coated in red. The strangely beautiful man was beside me and there was no sign of Thomas. A fire was burning behind the man. There was smoke everywhere.

I closed my eyes again as the pain increased to a point I had not yet seen. The bones seemed to be shifting in my body, creating sickening jolts and breaks. I could feel them grinding against one another. A corner of my mind feared that they would break out of my skin. The rest was beyond caring. Death might be better than this pain.

But if I died, what would Tristan return to? The idea of hurting him caused me yet more pain.

When that part of the torture stopped, a new period began. There was no respite this time. The world had turned cold. I shivered horribly, yet the fiery pain persisted amidst the cold. I felt like I would never be warm again. I wished that I had the warmth of Tristan.

My heart stopped beating when the horrible ice reached my chest. I opened my eyes to see the world in sharp focus. I didn't understand how I was still alive.

I lived though my heart had ceased its beating.


	10. Vampire

**Author's note: The plot thickens! I've always wanted to say that. Sorry. Here is your chapter, as promised. Happy reading!**

Give yourself a moment." The strange man said.

I held a sparkling hand in front of my face. How could it be mine? It was so pale. "I do not understand." I whispered. Not even my voice was the same. It was so much more smooth and pure than mine had ever been. It was almost sweet and angelic. "What happened? Why am I alive? I should have died!"

He smiled a cold smile. "Pure chance. You see, I had a vendetta against Lucian. I pulled him off of you just an instant before you would have died. It was not intended that way, may I add, though I am glad at the pretty company. I killed him."

"What was he? What are you?" I started gasping for air. "He was sucking my blood. What WAS he?"

"The same thing that you are."

I turned to him testily. "And what is that?" I shouted. "What am I? What have I become?"

"You are a predator." He said. "You are a stalker of the night. And," he smirked. "The figment of men's dreams. You are a vampire."

"Tell me everything."

And so he told me. He told me terrible things with a joyful glint in his eyes. He told me amazing things. I could run quicker than anyone could see. I was strong, many times stronger than I ever was. He told me that vampires had one characteristic as humans that could become magnified as a vampire to become a power. A supernatural power.

"Do you have one of these powers?" He asked.

My instincts urged me to lie. "No." I said, my eyes never leaving his.

"Shame." He said. "You seem like you would be talented. Still, I think you would be perfect to help form my coven."

"But I do not even know your name!" I protested.

"Oh, I do apologize. I am Cedric." He held out his hand.

I took it. "Rosalinde."

"Pretty name for a pretty girl."

"Are you trying to charm me? It won't make me any better disposed towards you." I snapped, slightly annoyed.

He smiled like a predator eying its prey.

"Why would I even want to join your coven?" I pressed.

"There are many reasons." He started. "Protection. Control. Believe me, as a newborn you will find a restraining hand useful. I could also give you knowledge."

I took a deep breath. "I do not know."

His eyes narrowed and all traces of teasing disappeared. "It is not wise to refuse me. Every one who has has regretted it." He smiled cruelly.

I was chilled to the bone. For the first time in my life I ignored my instincts. "Fine." I said. "I will join your coven."


	11. Monster

**Author's note: This is one of my favorite chapters, which is a little weird. It's such a depressing thing, but you learn a lot about Rosalinde's character. You also learn about Cedric's. Happy reading!**

I swiftly learned that Cedric was as cold as ice. It really hit me on the day of my first feeding.

He led to me to the city and stopped. "Make your choice."

"What?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Are you that stupid? You have to feed."

"What?" I asked again, stupidly. And then it registered in my mind. "No! No, no, no!" I cried. I turned to run but he was holding me back. Even with my newborn strength he was stronger. At least, that is what I thought at the time. Now I know that it was something more.

"It keeps you strong!" He snarled.

"Then let me be weak." I growled in return. I was very thankful that no humans had come near us. That would not last for long.

"They are the prey. They are weak and stupid. They deserve to die!"

I looked at him in horror. I could feel it in my veins. I could feel the bloodlust. I was a monster. It had not mattered before, when no one was in danger. Now I could feel it. A piece of me wanted to leap into the city and kill until I was the strongest. I would have to kill.

I had been dreading this moment, though I hadn't known what to dread.

"Humans are more than prey." I growled as much to myself as to Cedric.

"No member of my coven will weaken themselves unnecessarily." He snarled as he dashed off.

I decided to run. I didn't like the threat in his voice. I tried to turn to run, to save myself from having to feed a little while longer. I found I could not. I could not move. Panic set in. I struggled mentally against invisible bonds. There was nothing I could do. I had lost control of what happened to me. That scared me. I was completely and utterly caged.

Cedric finally returned, carrying a girl who appeared to be around my age. Her eyes were glazed as she stared rapturously at Cedric's inhuman beauty. I recalled the feeling of being mesmerized by Lucian's scarlet eyes.

I felt my thirst take over when the smell of the girl hit my nose. I was now completely and utterly out of control.

"Do you like my power?" Cedric asked. "It comes in handy."

I looked at him, horrified. He could do anything with such a power.

He released me. I fought the urge to jump on the girl and drain her completely. I knew, even as I fought harder, that I would lose. In these last few moments of humanity, there was only one thing I could give the girl.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered. I quickly snapped the girl's neck, granting her a painless death. I then relinquished my control.

When I resurfaced from my bloodlust, I found the girl's broken shell lying before me. Her blood covered my hands.

I felt a guilt and self-hate the likes of which I had never before encountered. I looked at her body and realized that I was looking at myself. It felt like I had died and some terrible thing had taken my place.

This is how I learned that I could not cry.

"You'll learn to make less of a mess." Cedric was smirking. I suppressed the urge to throw him into a tree or two. Or three.

I pulled myself off of the ground. "You worthless piece of…" I swore in my head because he had just frozen me again.

"Now," He said. "We can not have you misbehaving." I growled at him in my head. "I myself must feed, so you stay right there. He smiled at his little joke and ran off.

I was thoroughly stuck. I could not move an inch. I tried to, mentally battering at the chains holding my body immobile.

I had known I had a power since I had turned. It was like an itch in my mind. I knew that if I lost control and used it, Cedric would never let me leave. My instincts were telling me to use it now. What could it hurt?

What could it hurt? Cedric had told me of vampires with terrible powers. What if mine was like that?

But what if my power could release me from this cage?

I sighed and released my hold on myself, allowing whatever power I had loose.

I found that I could move, which was a major advantage. When I looked down at myself, I wasn't there.

Great. Invisibility. That was too ironic.

Muttering to myself, I ran in the direction of a stream I could hear. I wanted to see how my looks had changed.

When I reached the calmly moving stream I turned myself visible. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. I moved myself forward to see my reflection and gasped.

My skin had always been pale, but now I was white. My eyes were a shocking shade of blood red.

That wasn't what had me gasping, though.

Every feature on my face was perfect from my symmetrically pouting lips to my wide eyes. My scarlet hair was shiny. I let it down to find it settling in a way I could never get mine to.

I was beautiful. I just wished that it had not cost so much.


	12. Force

**Author's note: I am so so sorry. I haven't updated in soooo long. All I can say is that I have been really busy. High School sucks. **

I ran back to where Cedric had left me, placing myself in the position he had frozen me into and holding myself as still as stone. I glanced around and realized that the corpse of the girl I had murdered was gone. Cedric must have gotten rid of it. I fought the urge to scowl. I could hear the sounds of his return already. He burst through the trees, almost triumphantly.

"No attack?" He asked with a smirk on his face. I realized that he had set me "free." "Have you come to see things my way?"

"And what if I have?" I needed to play along so he wouldn't know about my power.

"That would be a very good thing." Before I could even blink, my back was slammed into a tree. He had done it with such force that it hurt. I could hear the tree crack behind me. Cedric was in front of me, holding me down. He forced his lips upon mine. While Tristan's kiss had been soft and gentle this one was selfish and hard. He was forceful, trying to make me play into his hands.

"No!" I cried. I pushed him away, my newborn strength aiding me. He flew away from me. He looked surprised. He had not expected an attack.

"I want you Rosalinde." He whispered. "You want me like I want you." It was a statement, not a question. I found myself infuriated with his presumption.

"Never." I whispered, my voice quavering with rage.

"It is that mortal, is it not? The one whose ring you wear around your finger? Why would you still care about something so weak?" He was angry too. I wondered if he had ever been rejected before. I did not really care.

My hand moved to cover the ring. "Does it matter? I do care."

"Well that does not matter. It is only one night." He was smirking. He pressed himself closer to me.

"No!" I pushed him back again. He did not fly quite so far this time. He had been half expecting this one. "A gentleman would care. What would I be if I bedded that first man I saw, barely knowing him?"

"What if I told you that I loved you?"

"Do you?"

"I do." He said, his eyes burning into mine.

"If you loved me, you would leave me be." I said forcefully.

"I cannot do that."

Suddenly I could not move. I could imagine how it would happen. I would be forced. A blight would be upon me for all eternity.

But I had a way out.

I disappeared from between his arms and reappeared when I was behind him. "You should have given me the choice." I punctuated this statement by punching him with the force of all my anger and strength.

"You'll pay for this." He snarled, from the ruins of the several trees he had gone through. "You have embarrassed me, and whore, you will pay."

I disappeared and ran, leaving Cedric and his curses behind.


End file.
